WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 16: Ben Sheaf of Coventry City celebrates at full-time after the team's victory in the the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City at Molineux on March 16, 2024 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
Coventry City made millions after stunning Viktor Gyokeres decision – Is it the club’s best in recent times.
Coventry City have made many impressive signings in recent years but none quite compare to the arrival of Viktor Gyokeres.
The Swede signed for the Sky Blues in January 2021 on an initial loan deal before making the deal permanent that summer, before leaving in a deal worth €20 million (£16.7 million) just two years later, as reported by Coventry Live.
According to Sussex World, the striker only cost around £1 million to sign from the Seagulls, with the decision taken despute only contributing three goals from 19 appearances in the Championship during his initial loan stint.
At the time, this was a solid deal for a player that had shown glimpses of his potential while on loan but he hadn’t quite set the world alight yet either.
Viktor Gyokeres’ impact at Coventry City will forever be remembered
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But he would go on to become a massively important part of Mark Robins’ first team squad, as they eyed becoming more competitive in the Championship after consolidating their position back in the second division.
This led to the club making a massive profit, with potentially more to come due to a 10 per cent sell-on clause currently in his contract, via Teamtalk.
In his first full season at Coventry, Gyokeres went on to score 17 and assist five from 45 appearances, as the team finished 12th in the table.
He made himself a standout figure in the division, only going from strength to strength during his time at the CBS Arena.
An even better second permanent campaign saw the striker contribute 21 and 10 in the regular term as Coventry reached the play-off final.
While Gyokeres didn’t single-handedly propel the team from 16th to fifth over two years, it’s hard to imagine the club pulling it off without his goal-scoring exploits, and general high level of play.
Viktor Gyokeres is Coventry’s best signing of recent times ahead of the likes of Gus Hamer
Other signings in recent years like Gustavo Hamer, Ben Sheaf, Haji Wright and Ellis Simms have all impressed for the club, but none quite compare to the Swedish international.
Hamer was also crucial to their rise to the play-off final, contributing nine goals and 11 assists that season, but never quite reached the same heights as Gyokeres, and finds himself back in the Championship again after his move to Sheffield United in 2023.
Sheaf has been a great addition to the Sky Blues’ midfield since joining from Arsenal, which was a really shrewd move on their part following an initial loan spell in the Midlands, but he lacks that explosiveness and star power that makes him a player worth north of £20 million, and capable of playing in the Champions League.
Wright’s debut campaign at the CBS Arena was massively promising, but a return of 16 goals and six assists couldn’t quite reach the same heights as the Swede at his peak, with Simms similarly only bagging 13 – the pair lack the same ruthlessness in front of goal as Gyokeres but they could develop further with time.
The 26-year-old really just stands out head and shoulders above the rest as their best signing of recent years, and this is further evidenced by the next step he took in his career, moving to one of the biggest clubs in one of the biggest leagues in Europe.
Viktor Gyokeres’ Champions League exploits
Viktor Gyokeres
Gyokeres is now competing on the highest stage in the Champions League with Sporting Clube de Lisbon, scoring in their 2-0 win over Lille earlier this month, and has taken that step up in level in his stride since his 2023 departure.
It has been reported by Teamtalk that he has an £83 million release clause, which could earn Coventry another £8.3 million if matched by someone, taking the total fee to £25 million, despite being sold with only 12 months left on his contract at the time.
A penalty shootout loss to Luton Town was the difference between returning to the Premier League or staying in the Championship, but it was also likely the difference between keeping Gyokeres and having to sell.
The ramifications of that still impact Robins’ side over a year on, with Simms and Wright now leading the line for the team.
A slow start to last season was likely a knock-on effect of losing that final, and the major changes to the team that took place in the immediate aftermath.
While the club continues to recruit well, perhaps only a signing of Gyokeres’ supreme quality again can help them get over the line in their bid to return to the top flight.
